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Re: platonic love
Platonic love, as customarilly used, is the love we feel for a friend, or more generally, a fellow human being.
If a member of the opposite sex tells you he or she loves you in a platonic way, what is being said is there are close, loving and warm feelings toward you. In romantic love, feelings are stronger, there is a longing to be with that person constantly, that person is on their mind constantly, and there is a desire for a more close, perhaps, sexual union. Platonic relationships do not feature these.
Very often a person will tell someone who is interested in them romantically that they feel platonic love for them...as a sort of consolation prize. In this case, it's pretty well set in stone that it won't go past that.
Persons who feel platonic love can transform those feelings in time, but that usually doesn't happen because there is no motivation. Romantic love generally begins with a very strong physical and psychological attraction that is often beyond description. Platonic love, on the other hand, develops as a friendship and trust evolve over time.
I do not recommend that a person wait around for someone with platonic feelings to develop romantic feelings. The chances are slim. People who seek a vacation in London seldom settle for a weekend in West Chester.
Don't discount the value of platonic love...except when one or the other finds a romantic interest, attentions are usually focused on the new love interest and the platonic relationship often derails at least for a time.
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